From opposing to energetically supporting women' ordination.

A question to ponder is how much their final attitude reflects a lack of understanding -- the blindness of an egalitarian age -- and how much a real opposition -- the ideological passions of an egalitarian age. Probably both but more of the latter.

We hear on every side "rights talk" and we all want to believe that we hold to the equality of women with men in all respects. We see women being successful in a variety of professions and occupations. We live in fear of being involved in a sexual harrassment case!

If we examine ourselves we know that we do so quickly and easily transfer these observations and feelings about the equality of women from the order of creation (a fallen & sinful order) wherein we live day by day, to the order of Grace and assume that because something seems so clear in the order of nature it must also be clear and must truly exist in the ministerial order of grace in the holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

In other words, we assume that what is so clear in the world in which we live and work must also be clear in God's plans for the ministerial priesthood and thus biblical texts that yesterday meant one thing (e.g., men only to be priests) today clearly mean another (e.g., both women and men to be priests). In the new way of feeling and thinking arguments that seemed conclusive yesterday seem weak or irrelevant today.

Obviously the texts have not changed, but we have changed. In fact, so much so that they seem to be different texts for they yield to us such different fruit!

How does this massive change of mindset or paradigm occur in sincere people who do read their Bibles and seek to live faithfully as Christians?

Probably it occurs because they actually make the initial move (for whatever reason) of saying "maybe" to the innovation. By leaving their position of principle and making this adjustment they cross the safety line and place themselves where they can be quickly and powerfully blown by the mighty winds of modern cultural forces - feminism, civil & human rights etc. Being blown along they are absorbed by the innovation and the cultural ethos in which it prospers and find that it has them in its powerful tentacles so that they feel can only live safely and even authentically by becoming advocates for it.

However, what they usually cannot do is provide solid and sound arguments against the classic doctrine of the male only ministerial priesthood and against the traditional exegesis of the Scriptures. They tend simply to repeat the slogans based on rights talk and set them in "God" language, and to dismiss as out of touch and irrelevant those who hold to what the Church has always believed taught and confessed.

Those who hold on to the historic and classic doctrine and practice of the Church of God with respect to ordination need to be patient and gracious in this situation; and whenever the opportunity arises to explain with care and clarity why it is that God who loves both women and men calls only a few men into the ministerial priesthood. The whole cultural setting of the modern western world creates a situation in the world and the church where it so much easier to deny the received doctrine of the ministry than to hold it and defend it. But Truth does not need majority votes or dominant cultural support to remain Truth!